Right-Wing Candidate to Ring in Neoliberal Policies in Uruguay

The results of the second electoral round in Uruguay show a slight advantage for the National Party (PN) candidate, Luis Lacalle Pou, over the candidate for the Frente Amplio (FA) Daniel Martínez .

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In an interview with teleSUR, analyst Pablo Kunich said that if Lacalle Pou's victory is  confirmed, a series of neoliberal measures could be imposed in Uruguay that would undermine the social achievements that took place during the past 14 years.

"If the right triumphs, a policy of economic adjustments will probably come and it will be necessary to see if they reach the necessary consensus to do so by way of shock or gradual," Kunich said.

Pablo Kunich explained that the candidate from the right-wing National Party comes from a tradition of repressive and neoliberal policies. During his time as a senator, he did not vote on any of the policies that extended the rights of Uruguayans, in this context the measures to be taken will be anti-popular measures .

Kunich warned that the right-wing coalition that supports Lacalle Pou would not lose at the parliamentary level because there are internal differences within the alliance, so it would cost the PN candidate to advance reforms such as tax, labor and social security that are typical of the neoliberal system.

The analyst commented that from the possible application of a neoliberal agenda in Uruguay, social and popular mobilization should react: “it will not allow the conquered rights to be taken away,” Kunich said.

Given the panorama of a very unstable right-wing coalition and with a society with high levels of organization that has won many rights during the 14 years of the Frente Amplio, it will be very difficult to cut social rights.

In Kunich's opinion, the next president of Uruguay will receive a country with high macroeconomic indices and without many problems affecting economic stability.